'Toitle Time' Found Object Clock

Randall Gornowich creates this turtle clock from found objects including, a trashcan lid, rubber balls, crayons, measuring cups, a child's xylophone, soda cans and more!

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Filed under: Clocks, Handmade, Art, Materials and Supplies, Crafts

Randall Gornowich of Baltimore, Md., recycles everyday items into the most unusual clocks and matching pins, like seen in his "Toitle Time" piece.

Materials and Tools:

well used trash-can lid
4 white plastic fan blades (from an old/ broken box fan)
small old military trench shovel
20 nuts, bolts and locking washers
green and fluorescent yellow spray paint
12 blue, green and yellow crayons
aluminum soda cans
7 pin backs
strong, rubbery adhesive to hold the pins in place
two-part epoxy resin
mixing container
drill press
power drill
torch
knife
jigsaw
permanent black marker
safety glasses
large nails
child's xylophone
yellow and green plastic bottle caps
circular saw blade
green plastic measuring cups
clock mechanism
string of child's pop beads
scissors
wire brush
steel wool
child's small rubber balls

Figure A

Steps:

1. Cut all found objects into usable parts and lay them out on the floor in the shape of a large sea turtle. Remove the fan blades from a box fan with a jigsaw or by heating a knife with a torch and cutting the blades (figure A).

Figure C

2. Painting:

After cleaning the trashcan lid with a wire brush and steel wool, spray the trashcan lid with dark green paint to resemble the back of a turtle. Cover it evenly and lightly.
After the green paint dries, spray tennis ball size spots on the turtle with fluorescent yellow paint (figure C).
Spray paint the saw blade green in the center and fluorescent yellow around the edges.
Spray paint the shovel blade fluorescent yellow. Let dry.

Figure E

3. Using a drill bit comparable to the bolt size:

Drill holes in the trashcan lid for attaching the shovel to the top of the turtle clock and the bottom for attaching the pendulum.
Drill holes for attaching the fan blades around the edges of the trashcan lid.
Include a hole for the bolt that will hold the circular saw blade with the clock mechanism in the center (figure E).

Figure G

4. Clock xylophone pendulum:

Apply clear glue to the tops of the handles of two green plastic measuring cups and glue them to the top of a child's xylophone.
Pull apart child's pop beads and glue them to the indentation (underside) of the measuring cup handles (figure G).

Figure H

5. Attach the fins, shovel, eyes and xylophone with a screwdriver, nut, bolt and a locking washer (figure H).

6. Cut the bottoms off of seven aluminum beverage cans using scissors. Space and screw seven medium size washers about 5-inches apart into a piece of scrap wood.

Figure J

7. Put the can bottoms over the screws and washers, place magnets in them to hold them in place. The magnets will be attracted to the washers under the can bottoms. Cut rubber balls in half and place in the bottom of each can. Break crayons into thirds and place them in the can bottom along with colorful beads (figure J).

Figure K

8. Mix the two-part epoxy resin and spoon it into the cans with a plastic teaspoon. If air bubbles appear, wave a hair dryer or small torch over the surface to cause the bubbles to rise to the top (figure K).

Figure L

9. Wait about 24 hours for the epoxy resin to fully cure (or harden) then use a pair of pliers to bend and tear the cans away from the epoxy mold (figure L).

10. Glue the pin back into the backs of the magnets. You may need to hold them in place cause the magnet is quite attracted to them.